My Own Private River is a re-contextualized adventure drama film of My Own Private Idaho (1991). Using footage shot and directed by Gus Van Sant in 1990, the new edit gives James Franco and Van Sant a shared director credit. The project is in tribute to Franco's favorite actor, River Phoenix. Franco called My Own Private Idaho one of his favorite movies and praised River's performance as the actor's best.

My Own Private River had its premieres at the Hollywood Theatre on September 25, 2011, at the Walter Reade Theater on February 19, 2012, and at the Film Society of Lincoln Center on February 24, 2012.